


settle down

by glaringlou



Category: Larry Stylinson - Fandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Adoption, Bottom Louis, Cheating, Divorce, Freeform, M/M, Single Parent Louis, Top Harry, alternative universe, basically Louis is a single father of three and Harry is rich ass guy who wants to settle down, family fic, larry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-09-13
Packaged: 2018-04-08 07:41:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4296366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glaringlou/pseuds/glaringlou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis is a single father of three and Harry is a rich CEO that wants to settle down.</p><p>(writing this is probably going to be very hard for me since I've never written chaptered fics, so bear with me. also feel free to give me some ideas if you've got any!!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. preview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is just a little preview of what had happened, not going straight forward with the story but giving you something to latch on. thank you for giving this fic a chance and please give me some feedback on my writing and if you liked it leave me some kudos also :-)

Louis had always seem himself as a settled man with a loving family and a dream career, living in a nice neighbourhood with a big yard where he could watch his kids grow old and then their kids and so on.. And for awhile it was like that, he had his loving family with a loving husband and wonderful kids that all loved him just like he loved them, they lived in a nice neighbourhood with the big yard he had always dreamed of, he had watched his oldest son fall in and out of love with his teenage crushes, he had had the pleasure to see his two other sons to go to school for the very first time and had the pleasure to welcome them back home when the day was over. 

All this had been gifted to him, and sure he still had all this, but one thing that is different is that back then he had his loving husband to go through all this with him, now he was alone. Living in a two bedroom flat in a dangerous neighbourhood with his three boys, going to two different jobs everyday and still struggled to pay the rent every month.

Nothing went as planned, all because of his asshole of an ex-husband who decided that his life with his family wasn't enough.


	2. 1.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy :-)

Watching your kids grow and learn new things has always been one of Louis' favourite things to do, but after his husband left him and his family it has all become a lot harder. Knowing that you could have someone there with you if you had just been a bit better husband, imaging what it would be like if they were still together, the whole Tomlinson-Hughes family. It's not like Louis doesn't appreciate the moments he has with his children because he does, he worships them. It feels like they are the only moments he can genuinely smile without it being fake. 

Just like now, sitting behind a wheel listening his two youngest sons, Connor and Caleb, sing along the radio while his oldest, Jayce, laughs next to him in the passenger seat. He doesn't even have to think about it when he starts laughing with Jayce or when he can feel his face hurt from smiling too big. It's all too familiar to him, even when Samuel isn't there with them. They used to do this all the time when they were still married, except it was Louis in the passenger seat and Samuel behind the wheel. Singing along their boys and laughing when one of them sang the lyrics wrong or listening when Louis (after lot of pressuring) sang to them their favourite songs, because _'dad your voice is the best' 'yeah daddy, please'_ never failed to soft-soap him into it.

Louis remembers the last time they did this all together as a family. They were on their way home from grocery shopping, nothing too fancy just a normal weekday shopping for food. They were all just sitting there in a comfortable silence when their wedding song came on, 'At Last' by Etta James. It had always been one of Louis' favourite songs from when he was younger, so when they were deciding on the songs for their wedding dance he had jumped right into it and suggested this particular song. Samuel of course had said yes because he knew how much Louis adored the song. 

So sitting in the car, Etta James' voice playing in the background, it was impossible to be saved from having to sing it to the eager little audience he had in the backseat. 'Daddy, this is your song you have to sing it' Caleb's small 6 year-old voice sounded from behind. 'Yeah Daddy you have to!!' his twin had agreed just as eagerly. 'How come you never want me to sing?' Samuel had joked knowing how terrible he was. 'Oh please, save us from the torture that is your singing.' Their oldest had joked back. Louis had just laughed but obliged with the not so calm request. 

It had all seemed fine at that time, but little had Louis known, because week later he had found his now ex-husband in a bed with a stranger man.

"Dad." Jayce's voice shook him from his thoughts, which he was very greatful of, not really fancying to cry in front of his little angels. Turning his head to look at Joyce briefly before turning his gaze back to the road. He could tell that Jayce had caught his drifting off, he was really good at reading his father, and being the oldest he has become quite protective of his father.

Stopping at the red light, he turned back to his son. "Yes, love?", he asked fond smile on his face. He had made a promise never to stop calling them with all these pet names he had got very fond of, unlike Jayce who hated when his dad called him by them.

"Nothing.. Just checking up on you", and of course he would do that.. "You seemed a bit out of it for a minute, you sure you're alright?" the concern of his sons face couldn't be mistaken and that alone set Louis' heart on fire of quilt.

God, did it make Louis feel small when his sixteen year-old son asks him if he's alright and looks at him with those big concerned eyes. Jayce had found out about his papa's affair few months after the divorce, when Louis was talking on the phone with Jay. To say that he was angry would be an understatement because he was fucking furious. He had already been very protective of his dad, and now after hearing about the cheating he is even more protective, almost as if a real body guard. Not that he wouldn't pass as one because he probably would, since he was already lot taller than Louis and he had muscular arms, and, well lets just say he looks older than his years.

"I'm fine, babe. Just thinking.. Should we eat macaroni or pasta?"

"You realise those are the same thing right? And yes it sounds great, lets just hope you won't burn it down like last time." Jayce adds the last part with a chuckle, and yes he was right about burning the pasta, but what kind of a person would he be if he admitted it, which is why he will keep denying it till the day he dies.

"Hey! Don't get sassy on your own father or I'll burn the food not so very accidentally and will make you eat it." They both laugh at that, knowing full well that he would never do that, making him eat it that is, because burning it is 99% ahead of them.

When they finally got to their apartment complex, Louis shut the engine and turned to look at the twins in the backseat, both of them asleep. "Can you take one of them and take him to bed, and be quick okay?" Louis said to Jayce lowing his voice, still looking at the sleeping angels. 

"Yeah, okay. Do you need help with the bags?" Jayce voice said, just as quietly as his. It almost brings tears to Louis' eyes to think about how grown he already is, trying his hardest to take care of his family.

"No, it's okay. I can handle them, just remember to be quick and quiet when you go okay? I love you" Louis says finally tearing his gaze of the twins to look at his oldest son.

"Yeah, I will. I love you too dad!" And just like that he's out of the seat and opening the door to the backseats and grabbing Connor from his sleeping position. Louis doing the exact same thing with Caleb just awhile after.

When he and Samuel had gotten the divorce papers signed up, Samuel had thrown Louis out. Not leaving Louis anything but their kids, and that was all he needed, even though it gets hard sometimes. Louis had to find an apartment he could afford as quickly as possible, even when his parents had promised them a place to live for as long as they needed, but Louis being the most selfless person there is could never do that, not wanting to be a burden to his parents. So this was all he could affort, and even though it's not the safest place to live, he gets to have his sons around him everyday to make him smile.

The apartment itself wasn't as bad as the complex looked like, sure it was small and it didn't have the greatest view from the balcony, and sure Louis had to sleep on a pull-out sofa in the living room so that Jayce could have his own room with its well deserved privacy, but after living there for awhile he could already call it a home, because as the old saying goes 'home is where the loved ones are', or something like that, Louis was never good with that kind of stuff.

-

When Louis gets to their apartment he is out of breath, having to carry an eight year-old and two full shopping bags four floors up had always been a struggle for him. 

He gets inside and walks to the kitchen to set the bags down. He quickly adjusts Caleb on his arms and kisses his forehead, before walking down the hall to the twins' room. Inside the room he can make out a shadow hovering over one of the beds that he knows is Connor's. 

He tries clearing his throat quietly to avoid waking the sleeping boy in his arms. 

Jayce's head snaps up and to the doorway where Louis stands. "Oh hi.", comes out a quiet reply. "Here let me get him" Jayce offers and walks over to his father and picks Caleb up from his arms.

"You know I could have done that" Louis says with a small, but proud, smirk on his face hands folded on his chest. 

Seeing Jayce with his brothers and being so caring and loving is something Louis will forever worship. Whenever he feels like he can't get through a day he reminds himself that he's got the most amazing kids anyone could have and for that he is thankful. 

He can't believe that his baby Jayce is already so grown up when it feels like he was just a baby, pooping and sleeping and eating. 

When Louis had mentioned adoption to Samuel he had been on board him immediately, the next day they had searched adoption centers nearby online and few weeks from that they met Jayce for the very first time. 

Louis had only been 20 years-old back then and he knew that having a baby was a big step to adulthood, but to them it never sounded scary, only exciting. 

Jayce was given to adoption straight after being born, apparently his biological parents weren't ready for what Louis and Samuel were, adulthood and responsibilities.

They were lucky first time parents, they had the most precious and beautiful son that hardly ever cried and always slept like an angel. He has been Louis' sweet little angel straight from the start.

And when it came to discussion about having another child, again they were both very on board. They went through the same as with Jayce, only this time they decided on twins, baby boy twins. Poor babies' Mom had died while giving birth and their biological father wasn't in the picture, therefore they had to be given into adoption. They were around two months old when Louis and Samuel adopted them.

He knows it's cruel to be happy about them being given into adoption, but if they weren't Louis wouldn't have his three boys with him right now.

Having only boys seems like a hard concept for some people to grasp. People come to ask him all the time 'Why do you only have boys, whould you want to have a girl as well...' And well he does, but now there is no one to share the joy of a new baby or someone she could call her papa, she would only have one parent and that's not what he wants. 

He always makes sure to answer, that if he ever wants another child it will definitely be a girl, a baby girl that would have the most amazing and protective siblings and daddy in the entire world. And if everything goes right, there might be a small toddler running around in the house in couple of years. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> remember to leave some kudos and feedback! thank you :-)


	3. chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the delay!! wasn't really the greatest idea to start writing a longer fic when school was starting... anyway, im back and i will update as much as possible. (i even got my own laptop so its gonna be easier)  
> hope you enjoy  
> \- venla

Waking up the twins was never Louis' favourite things to do, it was just the opposite. Like right Louis was standing by their room's doorway looking at his sleeping babies, never wanting to stop watching them look all innocent and small under their colourful duvets. 

Letting out a quiet sigh, Louis decided it was time to get up or they'd be late from school. It was their first year in preschool and the thought of it alone makes Louis feel sad. His babies were so grown up already. Six years-old small little angels that Louis loves so very much. Standing up straight and giving himself a small pep talk, Louis finally goes wake up Caleb and Connor. 

The reason why it's never been Louis' favourite things to do wasn't only because they were looked like angles while sleeping, it was mostly because the two stubborn boys (Louis refuses to believe they've adapted it from him (they have)) were really fucking hard to get out of bed. Even his childhood friend Zayn wasn't this bad, and he was really bad.

"Alright babes, time to get up! You'll be late from school otherwise." Louis said loudly in hopes of waking them up, no such luck though. Right.. it was time to raise the shots, he thought smirk taking over his face. Quickly strolling out of the room and walking over to Jayce's room who was already up, getting ready to school.

"Morning babes!" Louis called cheerfully after knocking and having granted an invitation to come in. Jayce looked up from where he was tying up his tie and gave his father a big grin. 

"Morning dad!" he said back and kissed Louis' forehead before going back to struggling with the tie. "Stupid, idiot tie!! Dad!!" he groaned in frustration and turned to his dad and let go of the tie as in to ask Louis to tie it for him.

Louis shook his head fondly and ruffled his oldest's hair, before sorting out the 'stupid, idiot tie'. "There. All good now."

"Thanks, da! Was there something you needed?" Jayce asked while getting rest of his school stuff together. "Might need a new bag soon, this ones falling apart in me hands.." he muttered looking at his old backpack he'd gotten from Louis, but as if realising what he had just said he quickly whipped his head around to look at his dad regretfully, thinking it might have hurt his father when he pointed out that his bag was old and broken and he needed a new one. "I-I didn't.. I mean it doesn't matter, I know money is tight and its just a stupid bag, I can borrow Caled's old one.." 

Louis could help but look at his some proudly and fondly, albeit a bit sadly,because he could never give his boys everything they wanted. "Darling! Honey, it's okay.. It's an old bag. We'll get you a new one, okay? No way I'm letting you take your brother's ben10 backpack, don't be ridiculous!" walking over to his son he grasped the bag from his hands and put it down next to their feet, then he pulled Jayce with him to his room and opened his closet door. "And yes I actually had something it needed from you.." He said with a mischievous smirk. 

"Oh my god, dad!! You're scaring me, is there a skeleton in your closet that you've been hiding all these years?" Jayce said teasingly, couldn't help the big grin that took over his face. 

Louis laughed out loud, and pushed his hands behind his clothes that were hanging in the closet and pulled back with two big water guns, that he'd been saving for months (yes he saved his money for water guns, and yes he is aware that it's a bit childish , but Louis was an inner child so who could blame him?). "What do you say we go fill these up and then go wake your little brothers up?" Louis said smirk still evident on his face.

"Yes!! You are the best, da!! Did you really buy these? For us?" Jayce was jumping with joy, it was great to see that even at the age of 16 he got easily excited just like his father did. Louis truly hoped he would stay like that.

"Of course I did! Now come one we gotta be fast, they'll be late if we won't hurry.." 

They took off to their shared bathroom ( the only bathroom in the apartment) and quickly filled the guns. 

"Okay, ready?" Louis asked Jayce, who nodded his head in confirmation. "ONE, TWO, THREE, GO GO GO GO!!!!!" he screamed and they both ran into the twins' room squirting then with the cold water they had filled the guns with just moments before. 

Louis took over Connor's side of the room and climbed on the bed and stoop above his son and started shooting the water at his face, Jayce doing the same with Caleb, addition to that they were both laughing and giggling like 5 year-olds. After few minutes both of the boys were out of their beds running around the room trying to get away from the freezing cold water shooting guns pointed at them.

"I yield! I yield!" Connor screamed with his cheeks red from yelling and laughing so hard, Caleb not any better himself either. 

Okay so maybe morning weren't that bad in the Tomlinson household and maybe waking up his sweet little munchkins wasn't that bad and frustrating after all. 

-

On the other side of the city Harry Styles, CEO of The Styles companies, woke up alone in his bed, feeling cold and pathetic with a terrible migraine from staying up so late working. 

He was supposed to have a free night, but was called in for an important conference call straight from China, and it apparently was 'the only time that worked for their client', so what could've he said? 'Oh yeah sorry I can't right now, I'm watching old reruns of Doctor Who, very important errand that is.' Yeah no..

Now he had to try and go through a day with a killer of a migraine and potential start of a cold, if his sore throat is anything to go by. He couldn't miss today anyway, seeing that it was a very important day for him and his company. Today he was going to start his schooling agency, where he was to visit different high schools disclosing teenagers about the importance of studying hard and getting to the best to earn jobs. He found the idea of teaching the kids that only way of surviving in live was to get the best degrees and straight A's absolutely shitty, to him it has always been a dream to have his own company, it wasn't about the wage or the benefits he got from it, it was the fact that he loved his job and he enjoyed doing it. In his opinion everyone should be able to decide whether they want to be nurses or doctors, CEO's or working in a supermarket, barbers or singers. Everyone should have the choice of word in what they want, and that's what he wishes he could say, but his script was already planned and memorized, there was nothing he could do. 

You'd think being a CEO you would have all the power, but that's not it at all. he had lot of people controlling his doings as well, which was a big downside of his job.

He went through his morning routine he does every morning; Get up, go to the toilet, shower, brush teeth, but on suit, fix tie, pick suitable cufflinks, put on dress shoes, fix hair, eat, drink, read paper, pick up all things of importance (such as keys, phone, wallet etc.), drive work. It gets dull after few months of going through the exact same routine before work. It was his therapist that had suggested him to pick up a certain routine to follow to ease up his nerves and leave out the unneeded stress of figuring out what to do each morning. 

He wished he could have a normal morning like normal people, having someone to wake up next to, lay in the bed for a while, not in hurry, no schedule or routine to follow. Perhaps kids to prepare breakfast for, a husband to kiss good morning even though you had already seen each other earlier and shared few pecks under the warm blankets legs tangled up and hands intertwined between them. That's really all Harry wished for, being 32 and single isn't really for his fancy, nor is it for his mother's, who is always asking if there are any husband candidates for her to approve or disapprove.

So in a nutshell, Harry Styles' mornings were shit and so was his love life, and this needed some change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can find me on tumblr by the name glaringlou


	4. chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> harry visits schools and enlightens teenagers about the importance of studying, jayce may or may not be one of those students. they have a connection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy!!

After the events of the morning, the Tomlinson family was ready to head out, kids heading to their school and studying, while Louis starts his day at a reception of a small vet clinic. 

Louis was never a big fan of paperwork, but it was all he was qualified to do at the moment if not including his evening shifts at Tesco's. Samuel had insisted that Louis would be a stay-at-home house wife, when they were still married. Louis liked the idea, and it wasn't like money was tight back then. Samuel was a highly requested lawyer, thus could easily support their family without Louis needing to work as well. It all seemed like a great idea. 

Turns out it was a crap idea, since they aren't together anymore, and it wasn't really an easy job to find a place that took workers without working experience. He had gotten his job at Tesco's only because the owner fancied him (if the not so subtle and slightly uncomfortable touches were anything to go by), his job at the clinic was a harder to get, he had applied to at least four different clinics near by, and it took over three months for any of them to answer back only one of them accepting him in. It had been a right struggle back in those three months, feeding a four piece family with a rather small wage was a hard thing to do. He had taught his boys to always be grateful for what they had, which he is proud of them of. He had gotten help from his parents of course and sometimes had he gotten few supporting hundreds from Zayn (Louis had been so mad at him for doing such stupid thing). 

Looking back now, he apprehends how little say he had about his doings, Samuel almost always being the one making all the decisions in the relationship. Louis was just there, like a puppet that's strings were pulled by his now ex-husband. Coming back to the present from his seemingly never ending thoughts, he realises that they are still in their drive way, all of them buckled up and save in their seats. Three pairs of eyes all pointed at him, waiting for him to finish his daydreaming. "Okay! Who's ready for school?" Louis fakes enthusiasm, knowing well that none of the boys were excited for school. When he only gets chorus of pathetic groans Louis lets out chuckle, well able to relate to them and their grumpiness. 

"Now, now... Don't get too excited.." He adds sarcastically. 

It's when they are five minutes in to their drive does Jayce open his mouth to spare his father about the events that are taking place at the school that day. "It's like this tour he does, I can't remember his name, but he is quite famous- well his company is. We are going to spend the whole day with him and we are all going to ask him 'very important and solemn' questions. Well at least that's what our economics teacher told us. I don't really like the idea of taking to someone I don't know and what would I ask him anyway, it's not like i can just go and ask him what his favourite colour is or what he does on his free time..." 

"Hmm.. Maybe just ask him why he does what he does or why he likes it? It doesn't have to be something life changing, and he can't possibly wait for you to have lot of questions if you don't even know who he is." Louis tells his son reassuringly, he's well aware that Jayce is a clever boy and has all the intelligence that Louis never got. 

Hearing Jayce sigh assures Louis that his son believes him and let's all the negative thoughts to fly away. "Okay.. Okay, yeah. Thanks" Dropping of the twins at first and retreating with a kiss to both of their cheeks, he settles back behind the steering wheel. After he's dropped Jayce and exchanged love you's and kisses, he begins his drive to the clinic. 

\- 

"Hello Mr. Styles. Pleasure to meet you, this way please" A man in his late 50's shakes his hand and shows him to the office where he is supposedly having the the small conversations with the few of the chosen teenagers. 

"What time is the first coming in?" He asks, going for his professional voice that he's learned to use in past ten years he's been into this business. "The first one should be coming soon, if that is okay with you." The -possibly- headmaster says, why wasn't he informed about this stuff. He hated when he looked like an arse for not knowing people's names when in meetings or not recognizing faces that he definitely has seen more that once. "In fact I'm going to fetch her to you right now.." 

The first one to come in and ask him questions is a 17 year-old girl, Jessica. She asked about his motive for doing this job ( _'It has always been my dream and i like having control over what I'm doing_ ), or why he is taking part in such an incredible work and agency, like this ( _'I think it's just important that young adults such as yourself know what is good for their future and what to expect from it'_ )

When it's time for the last one to come in Harry has been asked questions from his plans for the firm's future to his favourite colour. He can't think anymore questions there is to answer when the last one is coming in. 

It's a boy, around 18 years old (according to his board body frame and facial structure). He's name tag says Jayce Tomlinson written by a neat but still boyish letters, what catches his attention is the smiley next to his face. It's relaxing, seeing that the last one for today isn't some stuck up brat, but a young chap with a nice calm aura around him. 

Standing up he offers the boy -Jayce- his right hand to shake, which the boy takes with a bright smile. "Hello there! I'm Harry Styles."

"Hey! I'm Jayce, but you already knew that." At that Harry gives him a confused looks, which he gets the answer to when Jayce points to his chest to the name tag. "I don't really get the point of these things, I mean I'm going to introduce meself anyway, and it's not like you're going to remember it afterwards." There's no heat to his words, and yeah Harry can agree on that, not remembering any of the previous kids' names anymore. 

"Yeah well, we can't really do anything about it, now can we." Harry shrugs and lets out a soft chuckle.

"Except.." Jayce starts and goes to rip of the name tag off his chest and places it on the desk in front of him. "See it feels lot more comfortable now doesn't it? "

Harry lets out a surprised laugh and not long after they are both laughing together. It's great, is the thing. This is what all these meetings should be like, not serious like the others had been. For god's sake they are kids, they shouldn't be able to know about world currencies or what it has to do with Harry or his company. They all should have been like Jayce, relaxed.

They get into a conversation about sports and football, in which Jayce brings up his dad and his love to footie. They talk about him for a while, his name is Louis and he's a single parent to Jayce and his two brothers. It's weird how easy it is for Harry to tell him about his family and his interests in return. They are told that their time is running out, which makes both of their smiles to disappear for a moment.

"I guess that's my cue to back up, aye? It was great to talk to you." Jayce hesitates for a moment, which doesn't go unnoticed by Harry.

"Hey.. What is it? You know you can tell me right?" That seems to be all it takes for Jayce to stroll over to him and pull Harry in a big hug. They stand there for a moment Harry holding the boy (who turns out was only 16 years-old and not 18 like he first had thought).

When the finally do pull away there are unmistakable tears in Jayce eyes. "I don't know why, but you are so easy to talk to and I haven't felt this way since papa walked out on us after cheating on our dad. Sure I can talk to my da as well, but he has so much going on right now that I don't want to worry him with my problems.." And oh.. Jayce's had two dads, well one now, and he felt like Harry was special enough to share this information with.

Unable to form any words Harry just pulls him in another hug before pulling away and taking out his wallet. "Here. Take this, you can call me whenever, I'll even write my personal number here, okay?" Harry says handing him his business card. "Promise me you'll call if there's something you need, okay?"

Taking the card from Harry and placing it in his pocket Jayce nods "I promise, only if you promise to always answer?"

Harry offers Jayce his hand to shake and says with a warm smile "Promise." 

He walks Jayce out of the office and calls out his final goodbyes, before getting ready to give his speech in front the whole school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can find me on tumblr by name glaringlou


	5. chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> harry and louis' awkward first meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can find me on tumblr by name glaringlou :-)

"Louis could you go to the check-out point for me?" Hugh's voice sounded from the back where he was going through some paperwork.

"Sure!" Louis yelled back and placed the magazine he was thumbing through. It was a rather quiet morning at the clinic, only few customers here and there coming in for their appointments. It wasn't like Louis didn't enjoy the uncongested days, it was the quietness that bothered him the most, it gave his mind an opportunity to wander and stress over things that he shouldn't be thinking about. So yes Louis was glad that he finally had something else to focus on other than the thoughts of what should they eat that night, does he have enough money to buy a proper dinner.. It was all very nerving..

Louis was glad that he taught his boys to understand that not always was he able to buy them the best and newest toys, nor could he always afford to buy brand new clothes for them. He had been so happy after that mornings scenario with Jayce when he mentioned that he needed a new schoolbag, but had taken it all back right after. He was so so proud of them, but in-a-way he felt sad and guilty for not being able to buy his babies what they want and sometimes what they need.

The hours dragged by and when finally it was time for him to leave it was three pm. He was in hurry since he had to pick up the boys from their schools, but had to make a quick turn to the gas station. ( _Why are the prices for gas so high???_ ) When he finally got to the twins's school it was already half past, which meant that Jayce had been waiting for him for 30 minutes now and it took another 15 minutes to drive from Caleb and Conor's school to Jayce's school. 

After settling the boys in their seats Louis was quickly turning his car to fetch his oldest one.

-

Jayce was used to his dad being a bit late and he was okay with it most of the time. Today though, it was freezing cold outside and he hadn't brought cloves or hat with him, which wasn't exactly nice. 

He was just about to dial his da's number when he heard the school doors open behind him, _yay awkward conversation with a teacher_.. 

"Hey. Jayce right?" a familiar voice comes out, "What are you doing here, it's freezing outside!!" 

"Oh.. Hi Mr. Styles. I was umm.. I was waiting for my dad, he's picking me up." Jayce says quietly and maybe a bit embarrassed. He sees Harry move closer from the corner of his eye.

"Mind if I join you? I'm not in hurry so maybe I can keep you company until your father arrives, if that is okay with you?" 

..And who is Jayce to say no, he enjoys talking to this man and feels comfortable being with him. "Sure, I mean it's not like I hate having you around.. Quite opposite actually." he finishes with a quiet whisper.

They sit there in a silence for good 10 minutes just enjoying each others company, no need for words, when Jayce's dad's car finally parks in front of them.

It was an old car, the sides covered in rust and the paint falling off. Harry could definitely see this car belonging to a dumpster instead of on a road, especially when there are kids in the backseat. It can't possible be save to drive.

Harry is brought from his judging thoughts by a cry of relieve, he looks up and sees a very short man (at least a head short than him) emerging from the car and running over to Jayce who was already up waiting for his dad to reach him.

"Oh my god! I am so so sorry baby. You must be freezing! Come here." Jayce's dad - Louis, Harry recalls his name was - pulls his son in a hug. "I love you so much, I'm so sorry you had to wait. I had to fill the car and after I picked up your brothers the afternoon rush was at it's worse and we had to stop at every single traffic light there was on our way here..."

Only does then Harry notice how beautiful this man is, his face structure nearly flawless and despite his rosy red cheeks there are traces of lovely sun kissed skin from the summer, his hair was a mess around his face, wind being the fault to that, all in all he was perfect. He was shorter than Jayce, having to stand on his tip toes to hug him around his shoulders. Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Harry clears his throat to catch the pairs attention.

This seems to startle Louis a bit and he jumps away from his son taking in the new face. "Umm.. Hi?" he asks hesitatingly, stepping away from his son to see the stranger better.

"Da, this is Harry Styles, he's the man I was telling you about this morning.  Harry, this is my dad." Jayce steps in introducing the two men to each other.

"Hi, nice to meet you Mr. Tomlinson. You've got a seemingly intelligent offspring here, it was a great pleasure to chat with him." Harry says, walking over to Louis to shake him hand.

Louis was staring at him a bit dashingly, who was this gorgeous man and why is he offering me his incredibly soft looking hand to shake... "H-hii.. I- It's pleasure to meet you Mr. Styles.." Louis stutters out, reaching out to grasp Harry's hand. He shakes his head after he realises how stupid he must have sounded like. He clears his throat and tries to go for a bit more confident and proud voice, "Call me Louis and yes, I am aware of my son's intelligence, he is gem, this one." Louis finishes looking at his son with fond eyes. It warms Harry's heart to see how much love Louis has for him son and how proud he is of him.

"Well, as much as I would love to keep chatting with you, I must fleet. Again it was a pleasure to meet you Louis, hopefully we'll be meeting again." Harry says and  turns to Jayce, "Jayce, remember our deal? Call me whenever, text me whenever, I'll answer."

"Thanks Harry, it really means a lot to me." the sixteen year-old utters out, taking a step forward to hug Harry, him hugging straight back, squeezing tightly. After they step away, Louis gives them confusing but happy glances. 

They part ways with Harry walking to the opposite direction and the two Tomlinson men walk to the car just behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you liked it, please feel free to leave feedback.  
> you can find me on tumblr by name glaringlou. :-)


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